Rocking the Boat
by leiasky
Summary: Nathan is prevented from attending an uncomfortable meeting when he is caught in a compromising situation with his CMO. He is summoned to Noyce’s office where he must explain his actions while Kristin is required to attend the meeting alone.


**Synopsis**: Nathan is prevented from attending an uncomfortable meeting when he is caught in a compromising situation with his CMO. He is summoned to Noyce's office where he must explain his actions while Kristin is required to attend the meeting alone.

**Notes**: This is just a one chapter little AU that I thought up in the midst of trying to work on an original script. It would take place near the end of season 1. If AU's aren't your thing, stop now:) I don't usually write them, but this one seemingly wrote itself in a few hours, so, I couldn't just throw it out – though I did consider not posting it anywhere.

Many thanks to my beta mal4Prez on this site, who has been a doll in beta'ing for a genre she isn't all that interested in! Though she is slowly making her way through my season 1 dvd's. She's to blame for my eventually posting this. She felt I should.

The very beginning of this has a **Mature** rating but the rest is fairly tame. Hopefully, it's not too graphic for those sensitive to this sort of thing.

But this has been your warning.

* * *

**Rocking the Boat**

A long, low keen slipped from Kristin's lips as large, tanned hands fanned across her lower back. She arched her hips sharply against her companion's when one hand slipped between their bodies to rub urgently at the small pearl of nerves trapped between them. Due to her position atop him, it may have appeared that she held all the power, but, in reality, that wasn't the case. She could only circle her hips frantically against him as she reached the pinnacle of pleasure brought about by their joining.

Just as a heady, breathless moan slipped out of her mouth, the vid screen at the side of the bed flashed on.

"Nathan, what are you still doing in-"

The voice trailed off but she was too caught up in those final moments to do anything but exhale her pleasure and push her hips as far into his touch as they would go.

As she rode out the familiar waves of pleasure, she could feel herself falling. Her eyes squeezed shut and her questing hands sought out the strong muscle of her companion's back, nails raking down the damp skin as her body convulsed beneath him.

She could feel herself being covered, the thin sheet dampening slightly the pleasurable tingle that raced through her body. When her companion turned quickly out of her arms, awareness slammed into her mind like a freight train and she hunkered down behind him, hoping she couldn't be seen by the vid screen now pointed directly at her bed-mate.

"This ceiling really could use a new paint job," she could hear the voice of the Secretary General say.

Kristin pressed her forehead against her companion's back and groaned. She knew he could feel the vibration against his skin by the way the muscle rippled beneath the touch. But he didn't turn around. He simply pulled the sheet up to his waist and shifted a bit more so as to make sure she couldn't be seen behind him.

"What do you want, Bill?"

Kristin would have laughed at the strain and annoyance in Nathan Bridger's voice if they hadn't just been caught in an incredibly compromising position. She took a chance and popped an eye open above his shoulder to see William Noyce, current Secretary General of the UEO, staring at the ceiling with rapt fascination.

"Is it safe to look now?"

Kristin ducked her head behind his shoulder and shivered as her body trembled with the last vestiges of post-coital pleasure.

"What do you want, Bill?" Nathan repeated through gritted teeth.

"Well, I was calling to see if you wanted to get breakfast before the seminar today." Kristin knew by the sound of his voice that he was still looking at the ceiling. "But, and the image is burned into my retinas now thank you very much, I guess you're already quite occupied."

"Yes."

Kristin could detect the strain in Nathan's voice and gently rested a hand on his back. She could feel the skin and muscle ripple beneath her palm and she rubbed gently in an attempt to uncoil some of the tension.

"You do know that seminar begins in an hour."

"Yes, Bill."

"I think maybe you should stop by my office instead."

"And skip the meeting?" Kristin could detect the faint tone of humor in Nathan's voice. "That's really the best news I've had all morning."

"Nathan-"

"What, Bill?"

"You need to get over here, right away." There was no humor in the voice now. It was all business.

"Right now?"

"Oh, do take some time to put clothes on, first, but yes, skip the seminar. I'm sure Doctor Westphalen will be able to fill you in."

Kristin squinted against Nathan's back. Maybe the Secretary General hadn't gotten a good look at who his friend had been bedding when he'd called.

"Bill-"

"Send her to the meeting, Nathan. I'll see you in 30."

The room was plunged into semi-darkness again when Noyce cut the link.

Nathan dropped his forehead to the bed and sighed.

"He saw me." It wasn't a question.

"I guess so." He rolled over and propped his head on his arm.

She could see the tired, resigned look in Nathan's eyes, and knew what he was afraid was going to happen when he showed up at Noyce's office. "I want to go with you."

"One of us needs to go to that meeting."

"I'll call Joshua."

"He won't make it off the boat in time. That's why we're staying in a hotel this weekend, remember? So it would be more convenient for us to get there."

"Nathan." She reached out and rested her hand on his chest. "He might as well yell at the both of us."

His hand came down to cup the back of her head and pull her closer, while the other slid under the sheet and curled around her hip.

"Nathan?" The questioning look in her eyes was mirrored in his.

"If I'm going to get reprimanded for sleeping with my CMO, I'm damn well going to at least finish what we started."

It was difficult to keep a smile from her face as she tipped her head up to receive a gentle kiss.

"If you're late-"

He lifted his head and gave her a longsuffering look followed by a shrug. She didn't bother to hide the smile this time.

"What else could he possibly do?"

She twined her fingers around his neck and let him pull her closer, surrendering to the desire she knew had not been totally extinguished by Noyce's ill-timed call. "You have a point."

* * *

Nathan Bridger, dressed in a neatly pressed khaki uniform, waited patiently outside the office of the Secretary General of the UEO. People came and went while he stood there. Those who knew him offered quick greetings before entering Noyce's office. When they didn't come out again, Nathan began to worry that this dressing down he was expecting to have would be more of a formal, rather than informal thing.

After thirty minutes, Noyce's assistant told him to go ahead in. Nathan squared his shoulders and opened the door, expecting to find a tribunal of peers there to judge his inappropriate conduct.

But when he stepped into the spacious office, there was only Noyce, standing behind his desk, a look of disapproval already on his face. Curiously, Nathan looked around the room and noticed the other closed door off to the side.

"Expecting someone else?" Noyce asked with a raised eyebrow.

Nathan shook his head and returned his attention to the front of the room. "No. Well, yes, actually."

Noyce resumed his seat and Nathan noticed the secretively smug smile on his face. "Good." Noyce extended his hand. "Sit, Nathan."

"I think I'd rather stand."

"And I'm going to insist that you sit."

Glancing once more back toward the closed door, Nathan shook his head. "That was a nasty trick."

"Making you think that all of my _distinguished_ visitors would be present for our little talk?" The smug smile grew.

"You're a cruel man, Bill." Nathan sank into the closest chair.

The disapproving look reappeared and Nathan commented absently, "Your face may freeze like that one day. Then what would Janet do?"

Noyce sat down, leaned his elbows on his desk and exhaled breathlessly, "What are you doing, Nathan? You know better than this."

Right to the point. Nathan expected it would be like this. "She's not military, Bill."

"She's a member of your crew and a subordinate."

A derisive chuckle escaped Nathan's lips. "I wouldn't let _her_ hear you say that."

Noyce cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Despite what I saw this morning, that _is_ the case and you know it."

Nathan grinned at the double entendre and he could see the tips of his old friend's ears turn red when he realized what he'd said.

Noyce's embarrassment didn't last long and he barreled on. "Not to mention she has the ability to relieve you of command."

"Not without military approval." Nathan crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair.

"This isn't an ideal situation, and you know it," Noyce snapped quickly. "One bad day, and you know women have them, and –"

Nathan held up his hand and his friend immediately fell silent. This wasn't a conversation or argument he was going to have. "Kristin would filet you alive for that, and I actually think I'd let her. You're not usually a sexist and rude man, Bill, which leaves me to conclude you're just angry that I didn't tell you what was going on."

Noyce didn't apologize and Nathan didn't expect him to. Not now. Maybe later, the man would come to his senses. "How long has this been going on?"

"Two days."

Noyce's mouth flapped a bit reminding Nathan of a fish unexpectedly tossed out of the water.

"Two – days?" Noyce finally managed to choke out.

Nathan could see the wheels turning in his friend's head.

"So this happened while you two were here?"

"Yes."

"And what do you plan to do when you get back to the boat?" Noyce's face was exasperatingly red.

"This isn't just some temporary fling, Bill."

Nathan could see the man exhale deeply. He knew this wasn't going to be a pleasant discussion, but he also refused to be railroaded into making a choice. He was too old for this.

"You can't continue this, thing, once you get back."

Nathan pushed himself to his feet and turned to look at the various awards, certificates, and photos displayed on a side wall. His friend had been disgustingly by the book for his entire military career. So had he, up to a point.

"Is it that serious?" Noyce asked after a silent moment.

Nathan hesitated before answering. "I don't know." And he really didn't.

Noyce's expression softened. "This is a dangerous position you're in, my friend."

"I owe it to myself, and to Kristin, to let the chips fall where they may."

"And your crew, when they find out?"

"They won't find out."

"If they do – Nathan, you know I'll have to remove her." There was regret in Noyce's tone.

Nathan whirled on his friend, his eyes hard and steely. "You'll remove me - I'll resign. You let her keep her position." Kristin had worked long and hard to get where she had and he wasn't about to be the cause of that coming to an end. He could do without the military. He'd done it before.

"Nathan-"

"Would you prefer that I resign right now?" Nathan asked.

"That won't be necessary." Noyce shook his head and Nathan was sorry that his friend had to find out about his relationship with Kristin this way. "You've put me in one hell of a position, though."

"I know. I'm sorry." Nathan shrugged. "It isn't like we planned it."

"Then how did you let it happen?"

A small smile spread across Nathan's face and he chuckled when Noyce held up his hands.

"No details."

A curious eyebrow sailed high onto Nathan's forehead. "None?"

Noyce tipped his head to the side. "Well . . ."

"You have a few hours?" Nathan asked with a conspiratorial grin on his face. He wasn't normally one to kiss and tell but there was a certain masculine need to share at a time like this. Even the incredibly private Nathan Bridger wasn't immune to that need.

"I'll make the time." Noyce said with a curiosity Nathan knew the older man wished he didn't have.

Nathan leaned back in his chair and began to recount what had led them to this point.

"You know it was your fault. You ordered us to attend these meetings. . ."

"_So while the rest of the crew has the next three days off, we're to be stuffed inside some bureaucratic test tube like a bunch of ripe sardines?"_

_Nathan and Kristin had duffel bags thrown over their shoulders and were walking toward the launch that would take them to the surface. Kristin, despite being outwardly annoyed at being summoned to speak at these meetings, was really overjoyed to be able to talk about the research she'd been doing on seaQuest. She'd just been put off that she'd been ordered to attend with very little time to prepare._

"_Lucas isn't nearly as excited as you are." Nathan said with a half-smile._

_Kristin scowled at him and he found it difficult not to burst into laughter. _

_She tossed him an exasperated frown. "He should be even more annoyed. His presentation is before mine. He's had less time to prepare than I have."_

"_You know I'll make myself available to help whenever you need it." His offer was sincere and he knew she could see it in his eyes._

"_Oh, I'm fine. I'm as prepared as I can be."_

_Nathan grinned knowingly. "I know."_

_Kristin stopped and glared at him, one neatly manicured eyebrow raised in question as to just how he could say that with such certainty._

"_I stopped by last night to see if there was anything I could help with. You were asleep."_

_When she just stared at him blankly, he moved on. "I figured you wouldn't have been asleep if you still had anything left to prepare."_

_She frowned disapprovingly at him and continued down the hallway. "Yes, well – you're right."_

"_I know."_

_She squinted over her shoulder at him. "Don't get too cocky, mister."_

_When they reached the launch bay, Lucas was already there, bouncing impatiently on his feet. Ford stood beside him, pointedly ignoring the younger man._

"_Everything set, Commander?" Nathan asked._

"_Leave has been granted for everyone but a skeleton crew. The Secretary General's office already has your accommodations set up. There should be a car upworld waiting to pick you up."_

"_Do I need to stay for the whole thing?" Lucas asked._

"_Once your presentation is done, you can come back to the boat."_

"_But you're going to be gone for a few days," Lucas whined._

"_You can't stay off the boat unless it's with someone I know and trust."_

_He could see Kristin shoot him a sidelong smile but he ignored her._

"_I think Miguel and Tim are going to do some sightseeing. Maybe I can go with them?" The hopeful look in the teen's eyes was entirely too convincing._

"_Have them come and get you this evening at the hotel and we'll discuss it."_

"Nathan?" Noyce interrupted the younger man's train of thought.

Nathan closed his mouth and stared at his friend. "Yes?"

"Do I really need to hear this?"

"Probably not," Nathan shrugged.

"I - see."

An evil grin tugged at the corner of Nathan's mouth. For Noyce's little trick while he waited for this meeting, he wasn't going to tell his story too quickly. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

_"Why'd they give us hotel rooms when seaQuest is just a few miles away?" Lucas asked as he and Nathan dropped their bags into their room._

"_Probably to make sure you both got to the meeting on time," Kristin answered as she popped her head through the open door. She shrugged a thumb over her shoulder. "My room's across the hall."_

_Nathan favored her with a scowl. "I'm always quite prompt, thank you."_

"_Unless it's something you don't want to do." Her stance challenged him to disagree with her. "Like these sort of meetings."_

_He couldn't exactly disagree with her and she knew it._

"_Right, well, the first speaker goes on at noon so let's get downstairs." He looked Kristin over and noted the professional, if very scientific, attire, right down to the spectacles hanging around her neck._

"_You've got your notes?" Nathan asked Lucas._

"_Yeah."_

"So, how'd he do?" Noyce asked.

There was an approving grin on Nathan's face. "His presentation wasn't half bad."

"I read the meeting notes."

Nathan squinted at his friend. "Then why did you ask?"

"I wanted to hear your biased opinion?"

The two men chuckled.

"_Can I go?" Lucas asked during the last break of the afternoon._

_Kreig, O'Neill and Ortiz waited across the large foyer, looking like they weren't trying to eavesdrop on the conversation._

"_Oh, Nathan, let Lucas go. He's bored to tears in there." Kristin joined them after ending her conversation with a fellow scientist._

"**I'm**_ bored to tears in there," Nathan's exasperation was not lost on the two of them._

"_Yes, but you're an adult. You're used to boring, monotonous meetings like this."_

_Nathan noticed the grateful look Lucas shot Kristin and finally relented._

"_Fine, yes, go." He wanted to wipe the smug look off Kristin's face when she grinned at him. A tan finger jabbed outward in Lucas' direction. "But you be back by eleven so we can talk about what you're going to do for the next few days."_

"_Yes, sir!" Lucas was gone in a flash and Nathan shook his head._

"_He's a good kid. He'll be fine." Kristin assured him with one of her sweet, irresistible smiles._

"Let me guess. He wasn't fine?" Noyce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, no, he was more than fine, thanks to Kreig."

"Benjamin Kreig?" Noyce winced. "His antics at the Academy are well known. I'm not sure it's a good idea to let that man influence Lucas."

Nathan sighed deeply. "That's a particularly accurate understatement."

"_It's been a long time since I've had a nice, quiet dinner at a fancy restaurant."_

_Nathan struggled to keep his eyes on her face, but the severely low-cut top she was wearing was making it increasingly difficult. The small tear-drop pendant that hung just between her ample breasts was making it even harder to keep his gaze above her neck._

"_It's been even longer for me," Nathan said as he took a slow sip of the wine she'd ordered with dinner. He was by no means a connoisseur, preferring the hard stuff himself, but it wasn't half bad._

"_Ah right, stowaway Bridger came right from his island." The twinkle in her eyes was unmistakably playful. "No time for fancy clothes or a fancy dinner."_

_He pretended to be suitably insulted. "I'll have you know that I cook a mean salmon."_

_Her eyes were dark as she leaned forward. "Maybe you should have cooked dinner."_

_Their hands weren't quite touching on the table, but he could feel the heat radiating from her nonetheless. "I think we'll save that for another time." _

"_I look forward to it." The invitation in her eyes was plain, but Nathan wasn't sure if it was something she truly meant to show him, or if it was the wine._

"You were drunk?" Noyce exclaimed before Nathan could continue.

Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. "No, Bill."

"Then-"

The exasperated look on Nathan's face silenced Noyce. "Would you let me finish?"

"Sorry."

_He'd walked her to her door and waited as she slid the keycard in to open it. "This was a lovely evening, Nathan, thank you."_

"_We'll do it again sometime."_

"_Absolutely."_

_They both hesitated at the door and as Nathan turned to leave she dropped a hand on his arm._

"_Did you want to come in?"_

_Nathan blinked a few times and willed his body to remain still. His legs wanted to carry him swiftly past her and into the room, but while he retained full control over his faculties, that was just something that he couldn't allow to happen – not yet._

"_I need to wait for Lucas." He tossed a thumb over his shoulder. "He should be back soon and we need to discuss where he's going to stay for the next few days."_

"_Oh, that's right." He watched as she slid off her heels and tossed them into the dark room. "Well, do you mind some company while you wait?"_

_It couldn't have happened any better if he'd planned it. "Not at all."_

_Not more than a few minutes after they'd returned, Lucas came in with Kreig, Ortiz and O'Neill in tow._

"_Have a good evening?" Nathan asked, his attention split between the grinning-too-wide-for-comfort Kreig, to Lucas, who was carefully trying to keep from smiling at the captain and doctor sitting on the couch. Nathan quickly set his wine glass onto a nearby table._

"_Yeah," Lucas answered with a lopsided smile. "We're going back to the boat tonight and then going back out to do some sightseeing tomorrow." He ducked his head and kicked at the carpet. "Well, that is, if that's ok with you."_

_Nathan exchanged a look with Ortiz and O'Neill, who were carefully avoiding direct eye contact. "What happened tonight?"_

"_Nothing," Ortiz and O'Neill chimed together._

"_Now I know you're lying." Nathan folded his arms across his chest and waited for Lucas to answer._

"_Lucas is just a little nervous because he wasn't as prepared for the nightlife as he thought." Kreig's grin was infectious._

"_Meaning?"_

"_I wasn't going to be stupid – like Kreig." Lucas repeated with a steady look at Nathan. _

"_I don't –" Nathan's searched the teen's face and then pushed himself to his feet when he finally understood. He whirled on Kreig. "He got it from you the last time." It wasn't so much a question as an accusation._

"_Got what?" He heard Kristin ask behind him._

_Kreig only shrugged. "Better to be prepared than - not."_

_A dismissive hand waved in Kreig's direction. "Not for this. He's too young for this."_

"_Do we have to discuss this now?" Lucas croaked._

_Nathan held his ground. "If you want to leave this room for the next three days, you bet we do, buster."_

_With his authoritative captain's voice, Nathan turned his full attention on Kreig. "If I let him go with you three, __**you**__ will promise not to provide him with the means to be – " He glanced over at Lucas. "-stupid."_

"_You said you carried one around for years when you were my age," Lucas said suddenly._

"_The operative word being 'carried', and not 'used'." Nathan shot back quickly. He carefully avoided Kristin's confused gaze. He'd explain it to her later._

_Kreig wisely raised his hands in surrender. "I promise."_

"_And you will not take him anywhere that he might be tempted to be – stupid." Nathan's eyes were hard and steely._

"_We won't let him, sir." Ortiz answered and O'Neill nodded quickly beside him._

"_Please, captain?" Lucas begged again and Nathan wasn't sure if he really wanted to go with the other men or if he was just asking for permission to leave the room and end the uncomfortable discussion._

"_Nathan, let them go." Kristin said softly. By the knowing look on her face, she could easily understand the men's conversation. "Boys will be boys." She turned an intense look on Lucas. "I'm sure he knows just how much trouble he could get into if he behaves irresponsibly."_

"_Yeah. I don't plan to. Really. That club was – just a shock is all." He shot a glare at Kreig._

_Nathan turned to Ortiz and O'Neill. He couldn't believe he was seriously considering letting a sixteen year old boy out with these men. "You two are responsible for him. You need me, I've got my PAL. You call me on it."_

"_Yes, sir."_

_Nathan dismissed them all with a wave of his hand. "Now go, before I change my mind."_

_  
_"What was that all about?" Noyce asked with narrowed eyes.

Nathan glanced unbelievably over at his friend. "Kreig was supplying Lucas with more than just friendly advice."

Noyce's eyes widened. "Oh boy."

"I never thought I'd be having that talk again." There was a sad, lost look in Nathan's eyes. He'd give anything to have that conversation with his son again.

_Nathan sank slowly back onto the couch and leaned his head back. "I can't believe I agreed to let him spend three days away from the boat with those three."_

"_He needs to grow up sometime, Nathan." _

_He heard Kristin's voice, but somehow it sounded detached from her body. His head lolled over and he stared at her face framed in the moonlight visible through the open balcony window._

"_I'd rather he not grow up this much on my watch," Nathan harrumphed._

"_Kreig may not be the most trustworthy fellow, but you put the fear of God in O'Neill and Ortiz, nothing will happen to him."_

"_It better not or I'll bounce them all back to Ensign."_

_Kristin's light laughter made him scowl deeply._

"_So – am I to assume your conversation about stupidity revolved around the use, or not, as the case may be, of prophylactics?"_

_Nathan nodded and closed his eyes. "This isn't a conversation I ever thought I'd be having again with a teenager."_

_Kristin chuckled again and he felt a familiar tingle race down his spine at the sound._

"_It's not the most pleasant of things, especially when the child in question doesn't want to listen." _

"_I think he was more embarrassed to be talking about it in a room full of people than being unwilling to listen." _

"_That's because we've already had this conversation once."_

"_I gathered."_

_He could feel her scoot closer on the couch. Her stocking-ed feet curled beneath her. _

"_So you carried one for years, huh?" He wasn't surprised when she picked up on that bit of their conversation._

_One eye popped open and he regarded her with a curious stare. "Didn't every sixteen year old?"_

"_I didn't."_

_He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow._

"_I was already on the pill."_

_They laughed over the situation for a few minutes before his expression sobered. "I just don't want him to make a mistake he'll later regret."_

_His heart tumbled over in his chest when she turned sympathetic sable eyes on him. "Getting involved with a sailor isn't for most women. And Lucas is still very young."_

"_He's a bright boy, Nathan."_

_Her cool hand on his forearm did nothing to chill his suddenly raging hormones. He wasn't sure if he should be talking about this subject with her. Especially not in his very private hotel room._

"_He's not my son, but I'm responsible for him and- its difficult to let go."_

_Her voice was closer now. He could feel her breath on his cheek. He didn't dare turn his head to look at her. "I know. I went through it myself with Cynthia. She just giggled at me and said she knew all about the birds and the bees."_

_Nathan chuckled and smiled at her. "They all do nowadays. We need to broach the subject at three if we want to be the first ones to talk about it with our kids."_

"_She said she'd seen us. That's how she got her education. I was mortified."_

_His eyes widened and he leaned closer to get a better look at her eyes. "No?!"_

"_Not exactly how I wanted to teach my daughter about sex."_

"_Or voyeurism," Nathan added with a grin._

_Kristin's gaze hardened. "You're teasing me."_

"_Just enjoying a laugh at your expense."_

_Her frown deepened but he recognized it as one that wasn't in any way sincere. "You'll note I'm not laughing."_

_Before he could stop himself, the arm draped over the back of the couch slid into her hair to cup the back of her head. If she was surprised at the sudden movement, she gave no indication, and willingly allowed herself to be pulled closer. _

_Her name was exhaled in whisper that asked for permission to continue. But it hadn't been necessary. Her mouth touched his without any further coaxing from the hand at the back of her head._

_He could feel her hands land on his chest, balancing her weight against him as their lips touched. It was a hesitant move that grew bolder with each breath. Long arms came around her shoulders and pulled her more solidly against him. Much to his surprise, she didn't resist, but simply leaned in and deepened the kiss._

"I suppose the topic of conversation could have led to the burning of my retinas this morning," Noyce drawled, interrupting the flow of Nathan's thoughts.

"We've been dancing around this for some time, Bill," Nathan sighed with every bit as much enthusiasm as a man undergoing a root canal.

"Are you ready?" Noyce asked, his concern, and point, evident.

"I wasn't a year ago, but I am now. We wouldn't have – I wouldn't have let it go so far if I wasn't ready to move on with my life."

"With your CMO," Noyce said, pointedly disappointed.

Nathan exhaled through clenched teeth. "I didn't _plan_ this, Bill. It just happened. You didn't _plan_ to fall in love with Janet."

"So you love her? After two days?" The disbelief was evident in Noyce's expression.

Nathan rubbed his tired eyes. "I don't know, Bill. But I'm at the point in my life where I want to explore the options, not run or hide from them. There's no need to rush-"

"I'm not so sure your behavior in this situation warrants that kind of comment."

"You wouldn't have a problem with this if we didn't serve on seaQuest together." Nathan scrutinized his friend's face carefully. "In fact, you're trying not to be too giddy about this right now."

"I want you to be happy, Nathan."

"Then leave us be and let the chips fall where they may."

"Who said I had any intention of interfering?"

Noyce's eyes held a playful mischievous glint that Nathan had just now noticed.

"You're an evil bastard, you know that?" Nathan growled disapprovingly.

* * *

When Nathan returned to the hotel, he found an irritated Kristin Westphalen pacing the length of his room. With a smile, he let the door slide shut and then greeted her with a somewhat chaste kiss to the cheek. He knew that wouldn't be anywhere near enough, and he'd barely set the key card down on the closest table before she'd slipped her hand around his arm and whirled him to face her.

"Is that all I get? After hours of wondering what the bloody hell is going on?"

Nathan shrugged. "I expected you to barge into Bill's office when the meeting was done."

The fire left her eyes for just a moment. "I didn't want to cause any more of an uproar."

He sank onto the couch and stared calmly up at her agitated state. Careful not to smile at all, he lifted one hand and beckoned to her.

She stood her ground and crossed her arms over her chest. "Well? How much trouble are you – we, in?"

"None."

A skeptical eyebrow rose high onto her forehead. "None?"

"That's what I said. Now – come here." He shook his outstretched hand for effect.

"Who'd you have to kill?"

"No one."

She cocked her head disbelievingly. "Who do I have to kill?"

He chuckled lightly.

"Nathan. . . "

He cocked his head and beckoned again. For a moment she stared at his hand and he wasn't sure if she was going to relent until she actually took a step forward. After sitting stiffly on the cushion beside him, she turned steely eyes on his face.

"So?"

"He was mad."

"Of course he was."

"He wanted to throw you off seaQuest."

Kristin rolled her eyes. "Of course he did."

"He tried to remind me of the frat rule." Slim shoulders shrugged non-commitedly. "I reminded him you were a civilian."

She looked down her nose at him. "And still your subordinate."

A large, tan hand came down on her thigh. "I advised him not to bring that up in your presence."

A grin tugged at the corner of her lips. "Very wise."

He returned the grin and his gaze slid down her body as she scooted closer. "I'd like to think I am."

Her neck arched toward the vid on the desk. "Not so wise this morning."

Defending himself at this moment wasn't a wise option. Not when she was sitting so close. "I could have sworn I'd set that to audio only."

She draped a leg over his and pulled herself into his lap. "Is it set now?"

His hands fell to her slim waist as she settled herself in exactly the right place. "Oh yeah."

"Good," she whispered.

His eyes fluttered shut when their lips met, and he groaned into her mouth when her hands slid around his neck and her hips pressed urgently against his.

"It better be," Kristin whispered against his mouth as he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

END

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This one is quite different from my other 4 seaQuest stories so what did you like or hate about it? Leave a review and let me know!


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